I recently visited the corporate headquarters of a Fortune 500 type company. All cars in the parking lots were parked "backwards". I asked some of the employees about this and they stated the company did a safety study and concluded that is was safer and therefore made it mandatory. I'm curious as to why this is not more common if it is indeed safer as claimed.
Parking backwards - Is it safer?
- Thread starter Joe1
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Yes, it's safer.
Considering the way most people back up (or for that matter, drive forwards
) I'd say no way is that safer. What is the theory behind this? Are cars rolling away or something?
On top of that, most studies that conclude something is "safer" are often later debunked with another study as "causing early death" or something of that nature. Point being - studies are pointless.
On top of that, most studies that conclude something is "safer" are often later debunked with another study as "causing early death" or something of that nature. Point being - studies are pointless.
When you back in, generally there is no traffic passing behind you, there isn't a pedestrian standing in the stall, and you are pulling in at a low speed. When pulling out, it offers greater visibility and control.
That is the reasoning explained behind it, it is a common policy here.
That is the reasoning explained behind it, it is a common policy here.
I like to reverse in and drive out.
Before you've reversed in, you've given the posy a visual check, no trolleys, no people. Occasionally an idiot steps in behind as you reverse, but that happens either way.
When you are exiting, you are closer to the traffic, and can see better...particularly if the car next to you has reversed in also, as you can see over his bonnet.
Before you've reversed in, you've given the posy a visual check, no trolleys, no people. Occasionally an idiot steps in behind as you reverse, but that happens either way.
When you are exiting, you are closer to the traffic, and can see better...particularly if the car next to you has reversed in also, as you can see over his bonnet.
Trouble is many people can't back in and land in the middle of the parking space.
LEO's back in to get out faster!
Originally Posted By: MGregoir
When you back in, generally there is no traffic passing behind you, there isn't a pedestrian standing in the stall, and you are pulling in at a low speed. When pulling out, it offers greater visibility and control.
I agree. When I go to a store/shopping. I only ever pull into a parking space where I can get out going forward. It usually requires parking far away. But its worth it. I have had a couple of close calls.
Also as you get older your scanning rate and the information you digest goes down. I have started noticing that at about the age of 50. Its real and its scary. I completely understand why old geezers drive the way they do. They simply can't comprehend all of the information they see.
When you back in, generally there is no traffic passing behind you, there isn't a pedestrian standing in the stall, and you are pulling in at a low speed. When pulling out, it offers greater visibility and control.
I agree. When I go to a store/shopping. I only ever pull into a parking space where I can get out going forward. It usually requires parking far away. But its worth it. I have had a couple of close calls.
Also as you get older your scanning rate and the information you digest goes down. I have started noticing that at about the age of 50. Its real and its scary. I completely understand why old geezers drive the way they do. They simply can't comprehend all of the information they see.
As a professional driver I can say that the SMITH SYSTEM (a tool used by the best cos. to aid their employees) urges you to plan ahead and get the backing manuever out of the way if you have the better visibilty. So, lets say you pull into a parking space with cars on either side, now you want to exit but there is a van to your left and some other behemoth on your right. Now you can't see and backing becomes a [censored]-shoot, hoping, "they" will see you...as you can't see a thing!
Don't you just love it when people back out of a spot w/o even turning their head! Just last week while at a mall I witnessed 2 fools, both backing out of their respective spots, and they backed into each other! What a country!
Don't you just love it when people back out of a spot w/o even turning their head! Just last week while at a mall I witnessed 2 fools, both backing out of their respective spots, and they backed into each other! What a country!
Everyone in Japan does it. With small roads, it's much easier to pull out and back in. Go past, put on your flashers, then back in. Makes getting out a whole lot easier.
I took the SMITH SYSTEM course a few year back and is what they taught us. It does work, just takes some getting use to.
What if the parking spaces are diagonal? Hard to back into those, though I se people pulling through from the other side, and if you do, then you angled into the flow of traffic when you pull out.
Backing up is always more dangerous than driving forward. Awhile back when parking next to the sidewalk I decided to back up a bit to give the car in front more back up room, and heard a bang. I got out, and a lady had pulled in just behind me when I parked, her horn wasn't working and her car stalled when she tried to back up. She was in my blind spot as I have a pickup with a canopy. My bumper hit the top of her bumber, there was a light mark but no dent, and she said not to worry about it. She then drove off.
Yet bigger mirrors, especially wide angle ones will help to reduce the blind spot. I have a set of wider angle ones but haven't installed them yet.
I see lots of places with 'no backing up' signs, some with dents on the wall.
Yet bigger mirrors, especially wide angle ones will help to reduce the blind spot. I have a set of wider angle ones but haven't installed them yet.
I see lots of places with 'no backing up' signs, some with dents on the wall.
I don't know. When they came up with the back in policy at work, we had more damages due to backing into a smaller space (between 2 cars) and every incident had damages to 2 cars.
When you back out of a parking space, you are backing into a larger area.
We got rid of the backing into spots and they installed speed bumps and we also have radar checks to make sure every one is running @ 15mph.
Its been over 3 years and not a single incident. I'd say with the back into the spots we had one every other week at the min.
(oh and the operators of the cars/SUV/Trucks all are professional trained drivers (ie, LEO)
The other side of the story...
Bill
When you back out of a parking space, you are backing into a larger area.
We got rid of the backing into spots and they installed speed bumps and we also have radar checks to make sure every one is running @ 15mph.
Its been over 3 years and not a single incident. I'd say with the back into the spots we had one every other week at the min.
(oh and the operators of the cars/SUV/Trucks all are professional trained drivers (ie, LEO)
The other side of the story...
Bill
Saw some gov't building in DC where everyone backed in and a sign mandated this. I figured it was in case the SHTF and they had to scramble away.
Backing in during the winter helps as the windshield and side windows deice first on a cold start.
Watched some geezer back his new 500-styled Sable next to me at the ice cream stand. Used only his driver's side rear view mirror, and the front wheels were turning lock to lock then he'd back up another foot. Sat there eating my ice cream, terrified. He made it, but jeez!
Backing in during the winter helps as the windshield and side windows deice first on a cold start.
Watched some geezer back his new 500-styled Sable next to me at the ice cream stand. Used only his driver's side rear view mirror, and the front wheels were turning lock to lock then he'd back up another foot. Sat there eating my ice cream, terrified. He made it, but jeez!
JTK
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My employer requires us to take Smith System training every few years. In years past, we were taught to back into parking spots (if you couldn't pull through). As said, the "Smith" theory was; You're already visible to everyone on your arrival, best to get the backing out of the way now. Per my employer's certified Smith System trainer, the latest and greatest is no more backing in. Word now is avoid backing up when ever possible (figure that one out?!?)
Joel
Joel
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A friend described parking in Paris..... while sitting outside and having a nice lunch they watched a gentleman walk up to his car, the guy looked at how he been blocked in by the car in front and back, the guy shrugged, got in his car, and then proceeded to ram the cars front and back until he was able to get out.
Watching people park can always be an entertaining activity.
I wonder about people who;
-in a near empty parking lot, will park infront of the one vehicle in the vicinty. Why not park next to the vehicle so you BOTH (potentially) can drive away when you leave?
-when the space infront is clear just stay "nose in", why don't you pull ahead 12 feet so you can drive straight out?
-who stop next to me for 30 seconds (nose out) and then pull one lane closer to the door into a spot nose in?
-when it is super busy drive into the tiniest spot near the door with your dually pickup truck? Leaving the rear end dangling in the traffic lane?
-when the snow has covered all the lines in the lot, you can't cue up in a straight line with the other cars that have actually looked and judged where the traffic lane is? Theres curbing at either end people to draw an imaginary line between.
-who can't park there tiny cars fully into a parking space. Somehow, they need to stay 3-4 feet away from the fence/edge/center portion leaving part of their tiny car in the traffic lane. [censored]? You take up more space than I am in my fullsize pickup.
Alex.
Backer inner.
I wonder about people who;
-in a near empty parking lot, will park infront of the one vehicle in the vicinty. Why not park next to the vehicle so you BOTH (potentially) can drive away when you leave?
-when the space infront is clear just stay "nose in", why don't you pull ahead 12 feet so you can drive straight out?
-who stop next to me for 30 seconds (nose out) and then pull one lane closer to the door into a spot nose in?
-when it is super busy drive into the tiniest spot near the door with your dually pickup truck? Leaving the rear end dangling in the traffic lane?
-when the snow has covered all the lines in the lot, you can't cue up in a straight line with the other cars that have actually looked and judged where the traffic lane is? Theres curbing at either end people to draw an imaginary line between.
-who can't park there tiny cars fully into a parking space. Somehow, they need to stay 3-4 feet away from the fence/edge/center portion leaving part of their tiny car in the traffic lane. [censored]? You take up more space than I am in my fullsize pickup.
Alex.
Backer inner.
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